Is panhandling legal?

While panhandling (individuals requesting money from passersby) is a legal activity, it is regulated by local ordinance. Contributing cash to panhandlers directly is discouraged, but many people feel moved to assist those individuals who choose to panhandle. The City of Bloomington recommends instead of contributing directly to individuals on the street, to instead donate to local social service agencies organized to provide services that assist with housing, meals and medical care as the preferred course of action.

This site was created by the Mayor's Office of Innovation utilizing data provided by the Bloomington Police Department, Bloomington Fire Department, Controller's Office, Parks and Recreation Department, Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, Monroe County Department of Health, Monroe County Court Appointed Special Advocates, Shalom Community Center, Monroe County Prosecutor's Office, Indiana State Department of Health, IU Health Bloomington, DataUSA.io, and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.

This site was developed in conjunction with the Safety, Civility and Justice Metrics Team. The team was formed in August of 2017 following a recommendation by the Safety, Civility and Justice Task Force to create metrics related to Bloomington's safety, civility, and justice issues. The SCJ Metrics team was comprised of representatives from the Community and Family Resources Department, the Bloomington Fire Department, the Bloomington Police Department, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Monroe County Health Department and the Mayor's Office of Innovation. Since August, the team has met twice a month to propose metrics, gather data, and discuss how that data should influence city policy.